


This New Adventure

by justbygrace



Series: Pete's World [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Pete's World
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-27
Updated: 2014-12-27
Packaged: 2018-03-03 18:26:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2860985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justbygrace/pseuds/justbygrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I've never written the first few hours in Pete's World so I figured I ought to remedy that.<br/>A story for a prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This New Adventure

“Brrr! Why is it so cold in here?” Rose takes a tentative step inside the motel room and stops short, the cold like a physical wall holding her back. 

There isn't a response from either her mum or the half-human Doctor and frankly, she hadn't been expecting one. All three of them are exhausted and their plans for a zeppelin ride back to London had quickly gone up in smoke when they realized that their phones were out of battery power. The Doctor had tried to upgrade them with his sonic and realized it didn't appear to have the same power in this universe. This revelation made him send a quick glance at Rose and lapse into silence for the rest of the cold walk to the bayside town.

This motel is the same one they stayed at last time she was on Bad Wolf Bay and Rose has to fight the memories hard, but she has more important worries. Namely the apparent lack of heating. 

"I'm going to go down and inquire," she says far more cheerfully than either the circumstances or the day expects. 

Jackie sends her a grateful look, already having sunk into the low settee and wrapped an afghan around her shoulders. "Okay love," she agrees tiredly, the sadness at not being able to see her husband or son shining in her eyes as she fingers her phone.

"I'll come with you," the Doctor says unexpectedly and Rose glances at him in surprise. 

He looks determined and she doesn't have the mental energy to come up with any good reasons as to why he should stay behind.

"Right," she nods and turns back for the hall.

They walk in silence and it is both comfortable and heavy and Rose isn't sure what to say to break it or even if she should. There is stuff she wants to say, questions she wants to ask, but it seems less important than it would have in the past. She is not a child any longer and she does not need him the way she once did. 

He's the one that breaks the silence and it takes her off guard. "Are you angry with me?"

She has to consider it. It would be easy to say yes, but it isn't true. She is a lot of things - hurt, tired, sad, irritated - but she is not angry and she won't embark on this journey by lying. 

"No," she replies and his step falters.

"You should be," he says, low so that she has to strain to hear him. "I would be," he adds like an afterthought.

"I'm not you," she answers him.

"No, you've always been better," he begins and she is already shaking her head.

"We're not going to start out like that either," she interrupts and his head jerks up. "I am not better than you and you aren't better than me. This isn't a bloody popularity contest."

He is silent for so long that they reach the front desk and present their request. The Doctor translates for her absently, the triumph of still speaking and understanding multiple languages lacking in his manner. When he relays that the approaching storm means the power is going to be hit or miss, Rose decides that they ought to lay in supplies in case they are stranded for longer and the Doctor obtains directions to the local store. 

Together they head up the street, side by side and worlds apart. She knows he has more to say, but she won't pry. After all, he became a new person and was banished to a different universe today; she can wait.

"I'm angry," he admits and it is her turn to falter in the street.

"At him?" she asks, not needing to clarify further and he nods once, sharply. "I thought I would be, but I'm really not," she tells him. "Today has turned out both better and worse than I thought it would be."

He lets out an unamused chuckle, but stretches out a hand to touch her shoulder briefly. "I never realized how much of an arse I am. What he did to you -"

"Us," she corrects and he sends her a grateful smile.

"Us. What he did to us, it wasn't right. He should have told you more, I wanted him to tell you, but he wouldn't - even made me keep silent. I asked him multiple times, actually begged him at one point. Insufferable git," he finishes with a burst of irritation.

"He isn't great at communication. Are you?" she asks bluntly.

"I think so. I can't promise that I, that I won't be an arse or that I won't have weird personality quirks or that I won't disappoint you, but I am part-Donna and she was all about explanations." He pulls open the door to the little market for her and, as she walks by him, she lets her hand run across his chest as a thanks and an acknowledgement.

"I rather think that I may disappoint also," she says as she picks up a small basket. "Or this life will. I can't give you time and space - all I've got is a small flat and a spot at Torchwood, if you want it."

"Isn't that my line?" he asks and there is amusement in his tone that gives her hope.

"Pretty sure we're beyond that sort of argument," she teases gently.

He laughs then, reaching past her to pluck a package of breakfast cereal off the shelf. "No, we won't argue about that sort of thing, just about what's better for breakfast."

"And it's still not that," she rolls her eyes and drops her favorite in the basket to land on top of his. "Are you going to want time and space?"

"Maybe," he shrugs. "Are you?"

She shrugs, mimicking him. "Maybe." 

He smiles and it is more content than it has been and they continue in silence, picking up packaged foods and blankets and batteries and some over-sized shirts and pants that will vaguely fit all three of them. When she pulls out her universal Torchwood expense card he raises an eyebrow and she smiles.

"This life isn't all drawbacks," she explains. "Torchwood really is different here and I think you'll like it better than you might expect."

They are on the sidewalk, laden down with bundles when he responds, "I promise I'll give it the best chance."

She looks at him sideways, assessing his sincerity and he passes the test, meeting her eyes with none of the duplicity of the other universe's Doctor. 

"And I promise the same thing," she responds.

He shifts closer and she feels the warmth of him through their coats. It is reassuring and she tips her head against his shoulder, just for a second. There is more to say, she has a feeling there will always be more to say, but for now this is enough.


End file.
